Sultan Tuleukhanov, Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Higher School of Kazakhstan:
I am an alumnus of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, which holds leading positions in international rankings. My life has been directly connected with this university for more than half a century. In 1968 I entered the Faculty of Biology, which I graduated in 1973. This year I am the first graduate and the first postgraduate student of the Department of Biophysics, which is already 50 years old. Upon graduation, the Academic Council of the Faculty of Biology suggested graduate school and I entered.
We looked at our teachers, learned what we did not know. In 1981, I defended my thesis with the support of my supervisor, a graduate of this university, Victor Mikhailovich Inyushin. Scientific work is not a factory. Sometimes an experiment doesn't happen, sometimes an article doesn't come out. When I was still in graduate school, I didn't count six years as an internship. We made a device ourselves, got a patent on it. We published an article. In our time, not all graduate students defended themselves. It's not to say that he was a bad graduate student or that his teacher was bad. It was just that the work wasn't coming out. He kept taking a grad student and then another topic. It's dedication to science, responsibility. On the path of science, a person should not spare himself, sweat and run with blood coming out of his nose. Once or twice I had a nosebleed and ended up in the hospital. It worked like this. The path of science-not an easy path.
After graduate school, I was left to work at the university. At that time the Minister of Education was Kopzhasar Naribayev. He was very strong as a man, as a scientist, as an organizer. Being the first specialist who defended biophysics, the Minister sent me to the Department of Biophysics at KazSU. After all, it was a profession that directly depended on the future of our country.
The university provided a dormitory, I was married. Our children came to life when we lived in dormitory No. 12. Many people we know came out of these dormitories. At the university, I was an intern, a graduate student, a junior researcher, a senior researcher, a lecturer, a senior lecturer. In a sense, I went through the whole stage. In 1986, I became an associate professor. In the same year I rented an apartment at the intersection of Timiryazeva-Rozybakieva streets. It was at this time that our dean, Professor Rakhmetkadzhi Bersimbaev invited to the post of deputy dean. Supervisor " " Sultan, what are you doing deputy dean? Defend your doctoral dissertation". The third time I was invited to the post of deputy dean, I appealed to Victor Mikhailovich with a request to "help the dean for several years, I was not going to", and in 1989 I took the post of deputy dean. In 1991, Rector Kopzhasar Naribaev called and said: "Sultan Toleukhanovich, I offer you a vice-rector's favor." Frankly speaking, I was frightened. It seemed to me that I was not ready for such a position. Besides, I have plans to defend my doctoral dissertation. Immediately, not knowing what to say, I asked for permission to think for one day. "Think about it, tell me the answer tomorrow. You will probably make the right decision?". Quite a thought. Not afraid of the work, but there was a thought" as if there was an organizational work side to it". But " what about the fact that I didn't accept the offer while the Rector was on the phone? Whatever happens, if I couldn't do the work, I wouldn't do it myself," I said and gave my acceptance for tomorrow. There was a lot of work to do, I tried to do it right as best I could. A year later I told Kopzhasar Narybaevich:" my doctoral work has stopped, I am doing science". He replied, "think about it." Three or four months later I had to ask again. "Are you going back to the department as an assistant professor?". "Yes. My scientific work remains." " Good, we're going to work it out."
After some more time, the faculty will open a research institute on biology and biotechnology. I am not disappointed with the candidates who have been proposed to me. Will you go to this institute as a director?". With the gratitude of Kopzhasar Narybaevich I moved to this work. Later " the head of the department Victor Mikhailovich has been working for a long time. His contribution is abundant. But he does not know Kazakh. Now the number of enrollments in the Kazakh department has increased. If you will be the head of the department instead". At first I was very uncomfortable that I was going to take the place of my supervisor. My supervisor was a very nice, gentle, not hurting anyone, good person. Was a real scholar. He was spoken to by the dean himself. He gave a private office and continued his academic work. However, for about two years I felt uncomfortable. Thus, two jobs had to be carried side by side. For eight years I was the director of the Research Institute for Biology and Biotechnology. Kopzhasar Naribayevich was the rector during the most economically difficult time of independence. In such a difficult time it can be said that the university was preserved. After he went on vacation, Tulegen Kozhamkulov became rector and worked side by side. In those years, the Ministry decided that one person could not combine two services. I decided to remain head of the department.
Rector Tolegen Abdisagiyevich once said: "KazSU used to have a well-known Institute for Advanced Training at the republican level. In 1994 there was no money, it was closed in difficult times. We will open the same institute and resume work. You will be the director of this institute. I thought:" it turns out that I am going to transfer the chair to someone else". No, the rector said that I would combine two jobs. I immediately contacted the ministry and solved the problem. In this institute I also worked as a director for eight years, and then with the permission of the management I stopped working. It was the time when Bakytzhan Tursynovich Zhumagulov was the rector. For the first time, with the financial support of the Institute, we sent employees to Russia and Poland. This is something that has never happened before.
I have been working at this university for 55 years. I have worked with ten rectors. Each one has his own place. Each one created conditions, allowing me to work freely.
I defended my doctoral thesis and received the title of professor. In 2006 I was awarded the title of Academician of the International Academy of Informatization of Society. Subsequently I was awarded the title of Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Sciences, Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of the Higher School of Kazakhstan. I think that all this is behind the work.
A senior on the faculty, senior Sabyr Nurtazin, once said: "Sultan Toleukhanovich, why don't you participate in the National Academy of Sciences? Your students are also passing. You have achievements." It is true, I have more than 700 scientific works, I have prepared more than 22 candidates of sciences, doctors. I have a scientific school. I offered to apply to become a member of the National Academy of Sciences. Six people came for one place. Rector Galymkair Mutanov also supported. Then the Department of Biology and Medicine of our Academy voted unanimously in favor. Frankly speaking, I did not expect it to happen. Thus, I became a corresponding member of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan. It seems to me that such respect and trust is not just the faith that I give alone, it is the respect and trust that we give to our university, our faculty, our department. It is also the reputation of our university. I say that my title is the title given to the university. It seems to me that the higher the status of our teachers, the higher the status of our university.
I am glad to contribute to the opening of the Faculty of Medicine in our university. Together with the then rector Galymkair Mutanovich, I traveled to Seoul twice and supported the opening of this faculty. Because abroad such strong universities as Kazan have medical faculties. The rector of Seoul University also supported the memorandum.
In 2020, gave up the position of department head. In Kaznu, the environment is special. When the environment is special, people are also special. Everyone looks at each other with positive eyes. That's my honest word. When I was a student, the rector was Askar Zakarin. From the hands of Omirbek Zholdasbekov I received a warrant for a dormitory, and then I had an apartment. He was a very talented person. Every morning from 8 o'clock checked the works carried out in the campus.
Under rector Kopzhasar Naribayevich in 2001 President Nursultan Abishevich Nazarbayev arrived. The President asked: "what kind of help does the university need?". The rector told the longtime employees that they needed a house. The then mayor was immediately given an instruction, and the issue was resolved. We were in an apartment. I also got a four-room apartment. I was summoned to the city administration and respectfully handed the keys to the apartment. The leaders of the university created conditions for employees at every stage. Thanks to this university I became a specialist, a scientist, a teacher, got an apartment. I was trusted and offered many services. I have also done my best to fulfill the work entrusted to me with dignity, and I have nowhere to regret. I would say that all this is thanks to this university. Together with rectors Yedilemguozhin, Meirkhan Abdildinov.
When Zhanseit Kanceitovich took office as rector, "in our time the ranks of the older generation should be a little smaller than in our time, the continuity between the older generation, the middle generation, the younger generation. The traditions of the university must continue"" Upon taking office, he gathered all the veterans of the university and held a large meeting. Showed respect. We work thanks to such a positive attitude, warm communication. I have been working at this university for 55 years. I have worked with ten rectors. Each has its own place. Each one created conditions, allowing me to work freely. I have been on the faculty for 35 years, and I have been a member of the Academic Council at the university for 32 years. Rector Zhanseit Tuimebaev also offered to "remain a member of the Academic Council" when he started his work. I believe that this is a sign of respect for my work.
